The Three Admirals Part 35

Their dried meat held out; fortunately they shot a couple more deer out of a herd which came to drink at a pool near their camp, and thus the next morning at daybreak, with their provisions strapped on their backs, they commenced the ascent. The cone which they had seen in the distance rose high on their left hand, but they discovered a pa.s.sage lower down.

Up and up they climbed, feeling the cold increase, and suffering intensely after the heat of the plain. At length they could with difficulty breathe, and a desire to sleep seized all the party. Tom, knowing the danger of giving way to it, urged his companions to keep moving. Once Peter sat down, declaring that he could go no further.

Tom and Desmond dragged him up, and told Casey to p.r.i.c.k him on with the point of his stick if he attempted to stop again. Poor Billy puffed and panted, and at last declared that "he must have a snooze."

"It won't be until you are over the other side," cried Desmond. "Haul him along! Do you want to leave your bones here, or come with us? Just think of the venison pasties and the parrot pies we will have when we get down into a more civilised country!" Thus urged, Billy exerted himself afresh. None of them could afterwards describe the way they got over the mountain. For several miles they dragged themselves over the snow, with the fear of sinking down into some crevice or hollow, while fearful precipices yawned now on one side, now on the other. The two Papuans held out bravely, and, considering their scanty clothing, this was surprising. For a considerable time the whole party moved on without speaking, staggering as if in sleep. Their eyes were dazzled with the whiteness of the snow, which now surrounded them on all sides.

Above their heads hung icicles of fantastic shapes, ornamenting cliff and crag.

At length the summit of the pa.s.s was gained, and they commenced their descent, less painful because they knew that soon they would get into a warmer region. By nightfall they reached a valley, where the trees afforded them fuel to light a fire, round which they gathered, its genial blaze restoring warmth to their frozen limbs. For two days more they continued among the mountains, but gradually attained a lower alt.i.tude, until at last they once more found themselves in a tolerably level country. As far as they could see to the south, rose here and there ranges of hills, but they hoped, by skirting round their bases, to avoid the sufferings they had lately endured. The cooler air of this region enabled them to make longer journeys than before. They had been travelling along a range of hills, which shut out the country to the south from their view. Having crossed these, they encamped one evening on some rocky ground, from whence they saw away to their left conical mountains, several thousand feet in height, of which they had only just before obtained a view. There appeared to be clouds rising above their summits, of which they, however, took but little notice, as they were busy preparing for the night. Tom and Desmond, as usual, were hunting for game. They had shot several birds and a couple of monkeys, which they immediately brought into the camp to be cooked.

After the heat they had endured, finding the night chilly, they piled up some pieces of rock and slabs of bark to form a shelter from the wind.

They had all stretched themselves to sleep, with the exception of Casey, who had to keep the first watch, when they were aroused by a loud exclamation uttered by him, and at the same time by a thundering sound and by feeling the earth shake beneath them. Starting to their feet, their eyes were attracted by a bright light, which rose from the mountain, where shooting upwards, it increased in size, until it a.s.sumed a mushroom appearance, the top extending far and wide round the mountain. It was a volcano which had suddenly burst forth. No lava, however, was seen descending its sides, but they felt a shower of fine ashes falling on their heads. The screen they had put up, however, partially sheltered them from it. Nothing further could be done, so they resolved to remain where they were, hoping that the eruption would not increase.

Further sleep was out of the question; all night long they watched the fearful flames, expecting every moment to find a fiery shower falling upon them.

"It might have been much worse," said Tom. "We might have been close under it, and here, at all events, we only get a little peppered."

Towards morning the eruption began to subside, and by daylight dense smoke only was seen ascending out of the crater. In spite of their want of sleep, they at once continued their march, hoping to get well to the southward. As none of the party had pocket-books, they were unable to note down a description of the curious creatures they met with and the wonderful scenery they pa.s.sed through. They frequently saw serpents of fifteen or twenty feet in length, and huge apes, upwards of five feet in height, with hideous features, of almost human shape. They were thankful when they got out of the volcanic region, although they had again to endure the heat of the plains. What was their joy, after ascending a low ridge, to see before them a wide expanse of water, glittering in the sun.

"The sea! the sea!" exclaimed Billy.

Casey and Peter echoed the cry. Had they truly reached the termination of their journey? Tom doubted it. Looking through his telescope, he discovered both to the east and west, a low sh.o.r.e. It might be an estuary extending a long way inland, but they might still be many days'

journey from the coast. Whether it was really the sea or a fresh water lake, could only be determined by getting down to it and tasting its waters.

With stout hearts they marched on. They were now well supplied with food. Seldom many hours pa.s.sed without their meeting herds of deer and buffalo, from which they obtained an ample supply of food. Smaller game, such as monkeys and parrots, were in abundance in the woods, while there were plenty of streams and lakelets of pure water, in which they often took a refreshing bath.

Billy, whose spirits had risen with the expectation of reaching the coast, insisted to the last that the water they had seen from the height was the sea. Casey and the black agreed with him. At last they got close to it. They all hurried forward. Fortunately the bank they reached was hard, and they without difficulty got down to the water.

Billy dipped in his hand.

"It's fresh!" he exclaimed, as he tasted it.

"I was sure of that," said Tom. "It's a lake, and a good big one too.

We are a couple of hundred miles yet from the coast."

They continued their course along the western sh.o.r.e of the lake, and as they spent fully four days before they reached the southern end, calculating by the rate at which they travelled it must have been between seventy and eighty miles long.

After this they had another range of mountains to pa.s.s, which, though wild and rugged in the extreme, were of less elevation than those to the north. Once more they were on a level country, covered with tall gra.s.s.

They crossed several streams, in wading through one of which a huge crocodile made a dash at them and very nearly caught poor Billy.

Nick and Pipes now began to examine the country with more curious eyes than before, and at last led them into a native path.

"Friends there!" said Pipes, pointing ahead, and they saw through an opening in the trees several huts.

The two Papuans hurried on, begging their friends to sit down in the shade. In a short time they returned with a large party of natives, who, ugly as they were, had smiling faces. One of them who seemed to be the chief, advanced to Tom and made him a speech, which Pipes, who had accompanied him, interpreted as an invitation to the strangers to come to his village.

"Good mans!" said Pipes. "Plenty food!" The invitation was, of course, accepted. The chief, taking Tom by the hand and signing to the rest to follow, led him towards the village, which consisted of a number of large huts composed of wooden frames covered with mats, with which the floor was also spread. The chief begged his visitors to sit down, and ordered food to be brought in. A number of yellow-skinned damsels in a short time appeared, bearing boiled rice and messes of roasted and stewed monkey and yams. Whatever the midshipmen might formerly have thought of such a repast, they acknowledged that this was delicious.

Calabashes full of toddy, prepared from the sap of the cocoa-nut tree, were then introduced.

"I say!" said Tom, after he had drunk two or three cups, "we had better not take too much of this, or we shall find ourselves fou."

They wisely declined a pressing invitation of the chief to imbibe any more of the apparently harmless liquor, but their two Papuan friends, after their long absence, seemed to enjoy it, and were in a short time perfectly drunk. This was a misfortune, as they could no longer communicate with the friendly chief. However, he made signs to them to lie down on their mats. Feeling confident of his honesty, they willingly complied with his request.

After a day's rest, which all the party greatly required, Nick and Pipes having recovered, they set off for a village on the coast, about thirty miles distant.

Here the two Papuans found friends and relatives, who welcomed them cordially, having long given them up for lost. The chief of the village, to whom Nick and Pipes were related, requested the midshipmen to take up their abode in his hut. It was situated in the midst of a grove of magnificent trees, and near it was a garden, in which were growing yams, bananas, pumpkins, and many other vegetables and fruits.

They were glad to accept the invitation, as the hut was of considerable size, the floor spread neatly with mats, and perfectly clean. The reception over, they made their way down to the sh.o.r.es of the harbour, where, among several Chinese and other strange craft, what was their satisfaction to see an English brig.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

THE MASTER OF THE FOX--BARGAIN FOR A Pa.s.sAGE--TRADING WITH THE NATIVES-- FAREWELL TO FRIENDS--THE SKIPPER'S RASCALLY TRICK--THE FOX WITH THE MIDSHIPMEN ON BOARD AT SEA--BAD FARE--FISHING--A SHARK CAPTURED, AND THE SKIPPER KNOCKED OVER--SHORT OF WATER--THE FOX STRUCK BY A SQUALL-- CAPSIZED--THE MIDSHIPMEN HOLD ON TO THE SIDE OF THE BRIG--IN A DESPERATE CONDITION--A SAIL--TAKEN OFF BY A BOAT FROM THE EMPRESS--FOX FOUNDERS-- WELCOMED ON BOARD--SYDNEY REACHED--A PLEASANT VISIT ON Sh.o.r.e--BOUND FOR NEW ZEALAND.

While the midshipmen were standing on the sh.o.r.e of the harbour a boat put off from the brig, and came towards them. She was pulled by four hands, two of whom were blacks and two Malays. A stout white man, in a broad-brimmed straw hat, evidently the skipper, sat in the stern sheets.

On landing, the latter, looking hard at them, and surveying their travel-stained, tattered uniforms, inquired--

"Where in the world do you come from?"

"From the other side of New Guinea," answered Tom. He briefly narrated their adventures. "We want to get on to Sydney, where we expect to find our ship. Can you take us there?" he added.

"That depends on circ.u.mstances," answered the skipper. "Can you pay for your pa.s.sage?"

"We can work it, at all events, and I have no doubt that our captain will pay any sum we agree to," said Tom.

Tom did not like either the manner or appearance of the skipper. Of course he did not express his opinion, either by words or looks.

"Are you bound for Sydney?" inquired Tom; "for, if so, we may come to terms."

"As to that, I should not mind putting in there, provided you will pay the expenses. I was thinking of going further south, but I have not quite made up my mind," was the answer. "The _Fox_ is a fine craft, and you will not have another chance of getting to Sydney, or to any other English port for many months to come. Few British traders touch here."

"I see several Chinese junks and Malay proas. We may have a chance of getting to Banda, or to some Dutch port, or Singapore," said Tom, determined not to be done, if he could help it, by the master of the _Fox_.

"You will wish yourself on board the _Fox_ if you sail in one of those craft, I can tell you," said the skipper. "Come, you had better close with me, and I'll undertake to land you at Sydney. What do you say now to 30 pounds a head, and payment for such provisions and liquors as you consume? It will be a mighty deal better than sweltering on here in this hot place, with a chance of being knocked on the head, or being brought down by fever."

Tom thought the charge exorbitant, as probably no small sum would be added for provisions. He drew Desmond and Billy aside to consult with them. They were of opinion that the captain would certainly be unwilling to pay so large an amount. They soon returned to where the master of the _Fox_ was standing watching them.

"May I ask your name?" said Tom.

"Yes; it's Stubbins; I've no reason to be ashamed of it."

"Well, Captain Stubbins, we will pay you twenty pounds a-head for ourselves, and fifteen for each of our men, besides a pound a day for provisions."

"You are sharp young gentlemen, I've an opinion," said the skipper. "If you don't like my terms you will stay here until you wish you had accepted them. I shall not be away for a fortnight or more, for I only came in yesterday, and have to get rid of my cargo and take a fresh one on board."

Accompanied by Captain Stubbins they returned to the hut of the chief, who was, they found, the princ.i.p.al trader in the place. He and the skipper appeared to be well acquainted, and arrangements for trading were soon concluded. The _Fox_ had brought a cargo of very miscellaneous articles, consisting of gorgeously coloured calicoes of patterns such as to attract the savage taste--firearms, powder and shot, axes, knives, other articles of ironware, and no small amount of execrable rum and other spirits. The skipper invited the natives on board, and took good care to ply them with liquor before he commenced trading. The chief and his people had stores collected for the purpose, consisting of birds of paradise, and monkey skins, pearls, various kinds of wood and bark and gums, drugs and spices, besides cocoa-nuts, and other fruit and vegetables.

They showed themselves keen traders; and it was evident that, should they meet with a certain sale and obtain fair prices, they would be ready to collect a large amount of valuable produce, such as there can be no doubt their country furnishes.

Captain Stubbins, having obtained all the produce which had been collected by the natives, urged them to obtain a supply from other villages in the interior; and parties set off in various directions with the goods they had brought to make purchases. Thus the midshipmen were detained a month instead of a fortnight; and, as Captain Stubbins would not abate his demands, they were finally compelled to accept them.

Immediately they had agreed to his terms, the skipper's manner changed.

He appeared to be anxious to accommodate them in every way in his power.